Electrically-operated switch for rod mills



April 22 1924. 1,490,965

F. B. CROSBY ELECTRICALLY OPERATED SWITCH FOR ROD MILLS Filed May 17. 1920 7 a 5 26 as 2(1 (fir/ 2F /2 V0 fm/emar flea 5. crosb Patented Apr. 22, 1924.

' UNTTED A means Parent caries.

FRED B. CROSBY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO MORGAN CON- STRUCTION COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETT8.-

ELECTRIOALLY-OPERATED SWITCH FOR ROD MILLS.

Application Med May 17,

To all whom it may ooncerm Be it known that l, Fnnn B. Gnosnr, a citizen of the United States,res1d1ng at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electricallyerated Switches for Rod Mills, of whic the following, together with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

My invention relates to rolling mills and has for its object to provide an electrically operated switching arrangement for automatically handling relatively. lon and thin metal strip, such as rods and the ike, as the material is delivered by the rolls of the null.

lln the operation of hot rod mills, it is customary to coil the rod on reels immediately after rolling, and it is desirable to be able to direct the rod to any one of several reels, so that a completed coil may be removed from one reel while a new co l is being wound on another reel. Venous switching devices have heretofore been employed for automatically directing the rod.

from one reel to another, following the completion of a coil, but the operation of such prior switching devices has been limited to the continued alternation of the rod between only a given pair of delivery p pes.

By my invention I propose to provide an electrically operated switching arran ement tor a rod mill, by means of which t e rod may be selectively directed to any one of a number of difierent delivery pipes n addition to providing for the automatic alternation of the rod between any selected pair of" pipes. These and other advantageous features of my invention will hereinafter more fully appear, reference bemg had to the accompanying drawings, in wh1ch-- Figure 1 is a view partially in section and partially in side elevation of my switching device.

Figure 2 is a sectional view along the line 2--2, Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a pore tive View of one of the switch arms emp oyed in Fig. 1.

Fi re 4 is a. diagrammatic view showing t e electrical connection of the various switching devices shown in Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in the different figures.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 a plurality of 19%. Serial We. asao'zt.

stationary delivery pipes, numbered 1 to 5 inclusive, are supported in a row upon a. suitable frame member 6. Each delivery pipe is provided with a head 7 that has a flared portion 8 which is cut away, as shown at 9, for a purpose to be hereinafter described. A pair or switch pipes 10 and 11 are respectively mounted for movement along the row of delivery pipes 1 to 5 inclusive, and as the switch pipes are mounted and controlled in substantial] the same malnner, only one will be descri ed in detai The switch pipe 10 is provided at one end with a collar 12 supported in a socket or ring 13 that is pivotally mounted u n a pin It on a frame member 15. The pipe 10 is supported between the frame, members 6 and 15 by a yoke 16 provided at the upper end of a bell crank lever 17. The lever 17 is pivotally mounted on a pin 18 carried by an extension 19 of the frame member 6. The short arm 20 of the lever 17 is connected to the end of the When the solenoid 22 is energized, the plunger 21 holds the end of the switch pipe'10 in alinement with the end of the delivery pipe 2. The lever 17 is prevented from furthermovement about its pivot by means of a stop 24 provided on the long arm 25 of thelever 17, which is then in engagement with the armature 26 of an electromagnet 28. The armature is pivoted arrest I lunger 21 of a solenoid 22 by means of a ink 23.

at 27 and is so proportioned that its longer arm normally engages the stop 24 in its unbalanced position and with the magnet deenergized. A counterweight 29 is connected to the end of the short arm.20 by means of a link 30 having a spindle 31 upon which the weight 29 is carried. The counterweight is so proportioned that when the solenoid 22 is deenergized, its pull is sufficient to move the arm 20 downwardly and thereby cause the switch pipe 10 to be moved to the left into alinement with the pipe 1. The pull exerted by the counterweight 29 may be varied by the use of additional weights 32 mounted on the spindle 31 and maintained in position by means of a spring 33 surrounding the spindle 31. A bar 34 carried on the extension 19 is provided with stops 35 and 36 which serve to limit the movement of the lever arm 25 about its pivot pin 18, and thereby cause the switch pipe to register with the delivery pipes 1 and 3, respectively. I

A trigger 37, pivotally mounted on a shaft 38 is provided with a trough shaped portion 39 that extends below the flared portion 8'on the head 7 of the pipe 1. As best shown in Fig. 3, the trough portion 39 is located in the path of movement of a .rod as it. emerges from the switch pipe 10,

i the rod being indicated in dotted lines. The

shaft 38 of the trigger 37 extends to a suitable switch box, not shown, and is provided at its end with a contact arm 40. A trigger 41 is mounted in front of the delivery pipe 2 and is provided with a contact arm 42 in'the same manner as the trigger 37 as indicated in Fig. 4.

Referring now to Fig. 4, one terminal of the winding of the solenoid 22 is con-- nected to a supply main 43, and the other terminal is connected to a supply main 44 through the movable contact arm 45 of a two-point contactor 46 which is shown in the open position. One terminal of the coil 47 of the contactor 46 is connected to the supply main 43 and the other terminal is connected to a contact member 48 that is adapted to be engaged by the contact arm 40, when the latter is moved upwardly. The contact arm 40 is connected to the contact arm 42' of the trigger 41, and the contact arm 42 is normally .in engagement with a stationary contact member 49. The contact member 49 is connected to the stationary contact member 50 of a switch having a movable blade 51, that is connected to the supply main 44. The switch blade 51 is also adapted to be moved into engagement'with a contact member 52 connected to the upper terminal of the winding of the solenoid 22, and in a third position the switch blade 51 is adapted to engage a pair of contact members 53 and 54. The contact member 53 is connected to one terminal of the winding of the electroma-gnet 28, the other terminal of which is connected to the supply main 43. The contact member 54 is also connected to the upper terminal of the winding of the solenoid 22. The switch may be located at any desired point.

Having thus described the various parts entering into my invention, the operation thereof is as follows Assume that the solenoid 22 is deenergized, so that the switch pipe 10 is in alinement with the delivery pipe 1, as indicated in Fig. 4, and that the switch blade 51 has been moved into engagement with the contact member 50. As the rod from the rolls asses from the switch pipe 10 to the deivery pipe 1, it depresses the trigger 37 and moves the contact arm 40 into engagement with. the contact member 48, thereby completing the circuit ofthe coil 47 1? the conmenses 'tac'tor' 46. When the contactor 46 closes, the circuit of the winding of the solenoid 22 is completed throu h the contact arm 45 of the contactor 46. he energization of the solenoid 22 exerts an upward pull on the plunger 21 and thereby tends to move the yoke 16 with the switch ipe 10 to the right, but this movement is prevented as long as the rod continues to pass through the delivery pipe 1. When a coil has been completed upon the reel to which the delivery pipe 1 leads and the rod leaves the switch pipe 10, the yoke 16 then moves to the right under the pull of the solenoid 22. The switch pipe 10 then comes into aline ment-with the delivery pipe 2, owing to the fact thatfurther movement of the yoke 16 to the right is prevented by engagement of the armature 26 with the stop 24. When the end of the rod leaves the delivery pipe 1, the trigger 37 is free to move upward to its normal position, thus breaking the circuit of the coil 47 at the contact member 48, but the contactor 46 is prevented from opening by a holding circuit provided through the contact arm 55.

When the rod emerges from the switch pipe 10 and enters the delivery pipe 2, the trigger 41 is depressed, thereby breaking the circuit of the coil 47 at the contact member 49. The delivery pipe 10, however, is held in alinement with the pipe 2 as long as the rod continues to pass therethrough, but when a second coil has been completed, and the rod cleared, the switch pipe 10 will be moved back into alinement with the delivery pipe 1. This movement is caused by the counterweight 29 acting on the end of the bell crank lever 17. It is apparent, then, that as long as the switch blade 51 is in engagement with the contact member 50, the switch pipe 10 will deliver the rod first to the pipe 1 and then to the pipe 2, and that this alternation will continue automatically as long as rod is delivered to the switch pipe 10. lVith this arrangement, no time is lost in beginning the formation of a new coil after one coil has been completed, for it is obvious that the switch pi 10 is always ready to move to its new position be fore the coil has been completed.

When it is desired to have the rod ass only through the delivery pipe 1, the switch blade 51 1S moved intoa position midway between the contact members 50 and 52. The winding of the solenoid 22 then remains deenergized and the switch pipe 16 will be maintained in alinement with the delivery ipe 1 by the counterweight 29 as long as t e switch blade 51 remains in this position.

When it is desired to have the strip pass only to the delivery pipe 2, the switch blade 51 is moved into engagement with the contact member 52. In this position, the winding of the solenoid 22 is energized continublade 51 to engagement with the contact members 53 and 54. In this position the winding of the electroma et 28 is energized through the contact mem er 53 and its armature 26 is moved out of engagement with the stop 24 on the lever 17. As the winding of the solenoid 22 is also energized through the contact member 54, the switch pipe 10 is moved to the right against the stop 36 and into alinement with the delivery pipe 3' which leads to the sample reel. As soon as the rod enters the delivery pipe 3, the switch blade 51 may be moved to any one of its other positions, so that the rodwill be directed to either one of the delivery pi s 1 or 2 as soon as the sample coil is comp eted.

The control of all of the operations of my switching arrangement from any desired point is particularly advantageous, for it enables the operator stationed at the reels to selectively control the de ivery of the rods thereto. Thus, if a cobble should occur during the formation of a coil on one reel, it would be possible for the reel operator to hold the switch pipe continuously on the other delivery pipe until the first reel had been cleared, or the rod could be diverted temporarily to the sample reel. In this way the mill could be kept running continuously even with one reel out of commission for a considerable period. This would not be possible with. merely alternation between a given pair of reels, as in the previous switchin arrangements.

Irom the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided.- an electrically operated selective switching arrangement for rod mills that is extremely fiexi le'in itsoperation.

"By its use the strip may be delivered continuously to any one of several delivery pipes, or it can be delivered alternately, first to one pipe and then to another. Obviously its use is not restricted to the specific number of delivery pipes shown, for the electrical connections are readily capable of such modification as may be nec'emary to adapt it for use in connection with a lar er number of delivery pipes. I desire, 't erefore,

I that only such limitations be imposed thereon as come within the scope of the append,- ed claims.

I claim,

1. In a rod mill, the combination with more than two delivery pipes and a movable switch pipe, of electrically opera-ted means for selectively causing the switch pipe to register with any one of said delivery pipes and for automatically causing the switch pipe to alternate between delivery pipes of a selected pair.

2. In a rod mill, the combination with more than two delivery pipes and a movable switch pipe, of electrically operated means for automaticall causing the switch pipe to register with rst one and then the other of a selected pair of said delivery pipes.

3. In a rod mill, the combination with a plurality of delivery pipes and a movable switch pipe, of electrically operated means comprising circuits controlled by the passage of rods through said switch pipefor causin the switch pipe to register first with one de ivery pipe and then with another of a selected pair of delivery pipes.

I; In a rod mill, the combination with more than two delivery pipesand a movable switch pipe, adapted to re 'ster with any one of said delivery pipes, 0% electrically operated means dependent upon the passage of rods through said switch pine for automatically causing the switch pipe to alternately move between any given pair of delivery pipes.

5. In a rod mill, the combination with more than two delivery pipes and a movable switch pipe in position to deliver rod to one of said delivery pipes, of electrically operated means for causing the switch pipe to be moved into os'ition to deliver rod to any other of said elivery pipes, as soon as the rod ceases to pass to the first named delivery p1 e.

In a rod mill, the combination with a source'ot rod sup ly, aplurality of delivery pipes and a mova 1e switch pipe, of electromagnetic means comprising a movable contact member actuated by movement of a rod passin through the switch pipe for automatica ly causing the switch pipe to direct I the rod from one of said delivery pipes to another.

Dated this 12th day of May, 1920.

FRED B. CROSBY. Witnessesf NELLIE WHALEEN,

Pmvnmrn Commneaon. 

